At 25, Jim Morrison looked and sang like a 40 year old. The Doors were the oddest band out of all their contemporaries for sure. They are one of the most unique bands ever.
Doug Ingles' vocal on "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" also sounds one or two decades older than his 23 years. As for his compositional ideas, and his keyboard executions of some of those ideas, they're off the charts
When The debut album was released in Jan '67, Morrison was Hollywood's new sex symbol. Living in LA as I was, he was considered rock's new sex symbol, with the leather pants and flowing mane. He had classic actor looks..it was the substance abuse; the aalcohol and hard drugs that started an almost immediate downward spiral, not being able to handle the fame and adulation. As you probably know, he was one of the early members of The 27 Club.
What I love the most about The Doors is that they had their own unique and original sound. They didn’t sound like anyone else and nobody sounded like them. That’s where their genius resides.
Not an easy band to get into. The majority hear Riders, or Hello, and think "Great song, must check these out." Alabama Song comes on and... wtf? Soft Parade... The End... They out the door and down the road. 😂
Beato and his channel is the primary reason i still have a smart phone lol i don't do much in the way of social media, but his channel has kept me sane at work for the last 2 years now
@Charles White yeah I think this guy is very well connected in the music industry. He gets sent a copy of the tracks . Quite amazing to get that access.
The Soft Parade is an almost criminally underrated Doors album. These four guys together were absolutely brilliant and even after 40 years of listening to this group I am still finding gems in their arrangements...... and Rick still managed to show me even more than I had noticed before.... great break down.
What blows my mind is how a bunch of nineteen year olds recorded a debut with such maturity and understanding of the blues, it hasn't really been topped since 50 years ago!
the Morrison baritone; The Manzarek wurlitzer; The Krieger bottleneck; The Densmore drums; The Doors. . .what a great incredibly underrated American band.
Ecstatic that you dissected a classic song by The Doors. There was no one like them; and no other band talented enough to replicate their work. This song has it all....the type of stuff that melts your face. As usual Rick, thank you for your analysis and sheer joy covering this song
I see Robby Kreiger at some of the charity golf events I cater out here in LA and it just shocks and blows my mind he is the guy who wrote this tune and Light My Fire. He just seems like some old dude that likes to golf. He is so ordinary and friendly.
I screamed when he said Vegas-y. Literally been thinking this my whole life. The lyrics are dramatic and everything instrumental is showy. Jimmy’s baritone just tickles me endlessly and puts it all over the top in the best way. It’s so hard not to smile while watching these
Jim Morrisons generation grew up listening to crooners , jazz blues CnW up to the mid 50s , when rock n roll turned up and created a new style into 60s for folk , pop , Motown ,soul , RnB n rock . Jim was not a musician or a pro trained singer , but a wordsmith and natural crooner , and it's clear with much of his singing style just 1 eg , Riders on the storm , imagine a Frank Sinatra or a Bing Crosby version , yeah that could be real scary , maybe not . The Doors music is unique and original and a hard act to follow , it was their time and place and they all delivered ....and without a bass player .
When Jim went to the studio for the very first time (to record the first album), he was happy because the microphone he sung in was the same model that Frank Sinatra used!
One the greatest “rock” bands ever. Almost everything they did was exceptional. Songs that you almost never hear like Hyacinth House and the Changeling are absolute gems.
I've only been following for a few months but I'm addicted to these "What Makes This Song Great" videos! Being severely deaf, I'm not able to discern a lot of what's going on in a song, so I appreciate these breakdowns and explanations. It's like I'm hearing my favorite music for the first time! And seriously, the enthusiasm Rick has during these videos reminds me of a kid at Christmas! LOL such a joy to watch!
You should watch his "What makes this song great" on Boston's "More Than A Feeling". You will see similar reaction and glee when he breaks down the vocals.
Rick, you just blew my mind. I’m 30, I’ve been listening to this song since I was a little kid, and I just NOW heard the “Stronger than dirt” at the very end. I think I need to re-think my entire life.
As a (somewhat) classically trained violist, I really enjoyed getting to hear the isolated string parts from this song for the first time. They're so beautiful! It really made me appreciate (even more than I already did!) the sheer artistry that went into this song and just about every Doors song. Thanks Rick! You're so correct about real orchestral instruments simply not being the same as recorded ones. String instruments are naturally very expressive and almost human-like (in tone and voicing) instruments that can simply convey every range of emotion that the player can, but you just can't get that from a computer, no matter how hard you try.
I freaking love that you said "Frank Sinatra quality." I remember being a kid, hearing this song on the radio, and I was like "WTF? This sounds like my parents' music?" That is exactly what I thought. Silly me.
I've been listening to so much jazz, fusion, and prog recently I forgot how amazing The Doors are! Time to blow some dust off my old man's vinyl records and get groovin
"Stronger than dirt"...never knew that is what they said at the end of the song. One of my favorite songs of all-time! Used to try and imitate Jim Morrison's voice in this song...just a classic all around!!
@@thenameless3271 I always thought as you do, but are we sure it was Morrison's voice? Now that I heard Rick isolate it, it kind of sounds like it was right out of the tv commercial, (which I'm old enough to remember) but maybe slowed down a tad. Didn't really sound like JM to me, and if you think about it, would have been a very Morrison-like thing to do lol.
The Grateful Dead had an instrumental on Blues For Allah called "Stronger Than Dirt Or Milkin' the Turkey" which quotes that lick. For what that's worth...
I always thought he said "stronger than death". I remember the Ajax commercials, and recognized the jingle, but figured there was no way would they sing that. I have to say, I'm a little disappointed . . . both for being wrong for 40 years, and because my way is cooler.
I'm reading John Desmore's book Riders on the Storm at the moment and I've been listening back to all their albums. I'd never really appreciated just how unique and creative they were. As always, I really enjoy your infectious enthusiasm for music Rick, you have on the best music channels on RUclips.
They're probably the #1 band I would list on my "yeahhhh, but I just don't dig them all that much" list of rock greats. However, this video makes clear that they have a lot going on in their arrangement and I should probably give them more attention.
@@s1d299 Revelation time!..more going on than most bands - incredible detail - gotta listen intently to pick it all up...drum fills, guitar trills, organ extravaganza plus a voice like no other - totally uniquely creative band!
It's the affect of realizing just what a magical and brilliant moment in time and space it was and how emotionally moving and soul stirring this performance was and is!!!!!!!!!!
I’m not sure how you can say they were under rated. They were huge in their time and I’m grateful that I got to see them perform even though it was a rather quiet concert (yes they had a few of those).
Probably one of the most original and important bands of all time. Jim was a troubled genius and RK is and underrated songwriter. The drums, vocals, Ray on keys nothing else sounds like The Doors and nothing else ever will, they are unequaled to this day.
What a song!!! Basically, the greatest thing is how they put jazz, flamengo, classical music and poetry altogether. That is what makes the Doors such an amazing band.
I've been listening to this song for 50 years and heard it hundreds of times, always liked it but never my favorite Doors song, and the Doors have been my favorite band for 50 years. I am a guitarist and read music, write music, etc. But I never noticed all of the things you pointed out in this song and how good it all came together, must have been a ton of work and talent combined. You did a very good job. BTW, I know virtually nothing of music therory, wish I did, and can't sight read. all self taught and am a complete hack on guitar, but I still appreciate things like this. thanks.
I was the same way until I got a Doors songbook and played through the sheet music for it. After I played through it I realized, this is a really good song!
That's awesome to get a fresh feel for an old tune . This was my favorite album and the lead song (tell all the people)is one of my all time picks and is responsible for making me a doors fan at 11 years old in 1989
Exactly how I felt before watching this video. I always rolled my eyes at the cheesy Vegas lounge act feel of it, and even thought the orchestration was the worst part because I only focused on the very simple trumpet line. Hearing the orchestration -- particularly the strings -- on their own is just jaw-dropping. I'm a convert.
Was never a Doors fan as I grew up in the 70's. Just never liked their "sound". Always sounded "so old" or "dated". But I can finally appreciate their music and Jim's voice could still melt the panties off of any woman. My God. What a freaking unbelievably unique voice. Just amazing.
SubArcticWolf Tools & Outdoors Lol, it makes me very happy to know there are other music nerds out there doing the same silly air drumming/guitaring/keyboarding that I do when I’m digging a song. 😊
I have heard this song a million times and NEVER heard "Stronger Than Dirt", THAT is why I love Rick Beato and "What Makes This Song Great?"! I wear my "Everything Music" shirt with PRIDE! Thank you Rick!
yes he is! im glad to be probably his only woman subscriber. I love his show and his talent since i cant read or write music and i play be ear i can learn from watching Ricks videos
I love the Doors. Jim Morrison’s voice is so raw and powerful and what an amazing band. I read years ago that their record company needed a main stream hit for FM radio play and they came up with this tune. Very well orchestrated and very different from most of their other performances.
It's funny that you compare Morrison to Sinatra in this. As a little kid, hearing The Doors, i always pictured the vocalist as being much older and more 1950s-esque than what he really was. Imagine my surprise, in my early teenage years, when i learned that "That dude sang that???" It's sad to me, that Morrison was so lackadaisical with his talent. He could've been another Sinatra like force in music. He was already a force. Too bad he died when he did. Maybe he would've realized it at some point. Thanks for this vid! Ironically, my normally stoic (late) grandpa loved The Doors. So this made me think of him. Best vid!
MY favorite band hands down!!! All the tracks, all the riffs the songs everything!!! RIP to Jim and Ray!!! Krieger has played some haunting-est riffs and Densmore is an underrated beats magician.
Rick! Reminds of when the teacher would break down Shakespeare plays. Before ... little understanding and appreciation and sensitivity; After, ... wow all that. Thank you Sensei.
I was in middle school when I first learned about The Doors. I had an amazing music appreciation teacher and she brought us really cool stuff to listen to - old piano blues players, bluegrass, folk, everything really. She was a bit of a hippie at heart I think and she loved The Doors and told us all about Jim Morrison and I remember it being a very pivotal moment for me in my own love of music. It's awesome to see these kinds of videos Rick, thanks for making them! I also had no idea about the "stronger than dirt" thing at the end of the song. I love when people do weird things like that :-)
This music isn't really what I'm into, so my plan was to bail as soon as it got boring. Never happened, the entire video was cool as hell and everything I heard kicked ass. What a great song.
I want to ask you why you are so musically sheltered, but I'm just happy you stayed. NEVER think, "I don't like that kind of music." Now, you know why. I encourage you to go back and listen to everything you have ever shunned in the past as well every now and then as you keep getting older and maturing musically. Give everything a try.
Terrific analysis! This song is literally impossible to get tired of. The Doors were no boring 3-chord band, for sure. But I didn't realize how VERY many different chords made up "Touch Me" until this moment. Thanks.
Wow I never realized how beautiful and intricate the orchestration is on this song. I’ve long though it was a unique and distinctive song in the world of pop I love his Sinatra esk vibe.
The Doors still grown on me honestly. Their music is incredible, Jim's voice is so incredible. The screams, the shouts, the soft singing. He had a broad range and was able to paint many pictures with his vocal chords. From the rawness in 'Wild Child' to ... well yes this one; 'Touch me' - or one of my favorites: People are strange.
This episode is "Stronger Than Dirt"! Rick and Tim Peirce always look like they're having such a good time when they are either listening to or making music. I love it. It makes my day!
Thanks for this one! I love the modulations in this song. G Bm C E-flat, then B-flat, Dm, E-flat, G-flat -- the same sequence up a m3. Leading to the chorus in the key of D-flat, a tritone (i.e., as far away as you can get) from the original key of G. And then, BAM! back to that A minor vamp. One of the things that makes the breakdown verse so distinctive is that the strings go from playing tutti to featuring just a small ensemble. It sounds like the highest violin part is doubled, but the cello, viola, and second violin are all solo instruments. So you get a string quartet sound vs. the orchestral sound heard on the rest of the song. Thanks, too, for explaining "stronger than dirt" -- although unless you lived in the time, you can't really appreciate the nuance. I think this whole song is irony at its finest. The Doors were an outrageous, "anti-establishment" phenomenon. For them to sing and play in this almost big band style, and then to quote a laundry detergent ad was a great tongue-in-cheek statement. The fact that it is also a phenomenal piece of writing and performance gives it life beyond its original context.
Many thumbs up for choosing this song. I've been a Doors fan since I first heard Backdoor Man when it came out. I still have all the original issue lp's on vinyl and Soft Parade remains my favorite. The Doors were, and still are like nothing else in rock music... but especially in 1967 (recorded in 66). Thanks for highlighting John Densmore. I have to admit I never appreciated him when I was a teen because I associated a drummer's talent with the size of their kit (a la Keith Moon & nowadays Neal Pert) and Densmore's setup looked almost toy-like to me. Now I know that he is a FREAKIN' GENIUS. He was unlike any other when he played jazz, latin, and rock rhythms in songs you would never expect they would work. Yet I couldn't imagine those songs being as great without him. I'm a guitar player and I don't profess any knowledge of how a great drummer's mind works, but I know what sounds good to me. I would be interested to here what you drummers out there think. Great song, great band, great production👍
as a drummer and massive Doors fan i can say that Densmore is super super tasty! he was a fan of the Jazz greats (as many 60s drummers were), so it really shows in this song and other swing/r&b or jazzy Doors tracks.
I'm glad you mentioned Tom Jones. My wife is quite perceptive, musically, but knows little of classic rock. I'm a huge The Doors fan. One afernoon, on car ride, Touch Me came on the radio. Of course she knows who Jim Morrison is, but when I asker her if she knew who was singing said song, she guessed TOM JONES. I instantly understood her guess.
Remember listening to this song on 93 KHJ-AM when I was in Jr. High during Christmas vacation in '68. Song went to #1 in L.A. right after New Years. The whole Soft Parade Album is great.
Touch Me was released first as a single in December 1968 with Wild Child on the B-side. Morrison's vocals were 'live' on the Smothers Brothers show while The Doors mimed to a pre-recorded track, which also first aired in Dec. 68. The Soft Parade album was released in 1969.
Love The Doors. I love it when I ask people if they've heard of The Doors, and they go, "I'm not sure.....what style do they play?" And, I go...."...erm.........." The Doors were THE first 'Genre Spanners'! Amazing, an often misunderstood songwriters! Great video. More The Doors please!
I feel like this is one of their least weird songs, but still a great one, and a great analysis. I definitely have an all new appreciation for the arrangements on this one. The strings in particular. Hard to hear all that nice movement in the cellos with the whole band in there, but isolated, the whole string part is beautiful.
This was the first rock band I listened to (when I was a teenager in the 90's) and still one of my favourites. This song is amazingly mind-blowing!!! The Doors!!!
In my humble or exalted opinion, this is by far and beyond, the most far and beyond channel on RUclips. If you love music this is IT. . . Rick, you take great music and expand it, give it so many more dimensions. . . Muchas gracias amigo. . .
The Soft Parade only grown on me recently, I never used to listen to it much apart from Touch Me, Wishful Sinful and Wild Child. I now love the album and that it's very different to their other albums, Shaman Blues is brilliant as well as the bonkers title track The Soft Parade. "YOU CANNOT PETITION THE LORD WITH PRAYER!" The Doors still sound fresh and unlike any other rock band to this day.
I love this song it reminds me of living close to my mom's side of the family while my father served in Vietnam. The videos of the Doors are a cool addition.
Brian O'Banion crazy to think his father was part of the Gulf of Tonging incident that was partially responsible for the escalation into the Vietnam war. Just learned that. Seemed Jim was a drastic juxtaposition to his father.
That was awesome to listen to this breakdown of this song. Just amazing. And you are SOOOOOOO right when you stated "no one, no 25 year old could get away with this". Jim's voice is so unique. Just amazing.
I've recently gotten back into the Doors after, like, 30 years. I've been listening to interviews with the guys in the band from all over the past 50 years. Great stuff.
I was stoked watching this. My second favorite song from the Doors right behind Light my Fire. Sinatra couldn't have done a better job on this song than Jim. It's too bad that Jim couldn't stick around longer to make some more great music with one of my favorite bands. Thanks Rick!
The Doors feel like the romantics of rock and roll So much emotional edge in all their music. Each instrument and each vocal has something moving to say.
One of my first albums i had was The Doors 13 and Touch Me just mesmerized me, i am into mainly ELO, but when you played the string part from the breakdown of Touch Me tears flowed from my eyes, weird. Splashes as big as dimes. Rick, you know music, cheers to ya.
I'm so glad I came across this. I was rockin out to those isolated tracks too! The orchestral line alone. Woah! I grew up listening to the doors and Jim has always been one of those guys that if I had been around, his picture would would have been hanging up on my bedroom wall.
The Doors are the perfect example of what makes a classic band/singer/author/book/artist. Since man has made art the greats have always seperated themselves from the rest. Chopin, Mozart, Led Zeppelin, Beatles/Hemingway- I think you get my point
I'm so glad you chose the Doors for this episode. At first, I was surprised by your choice of song, but I totally get it now. I am no musician, just a lover of music. Thank you for giving me an entirely different appreciation of loads of songs. You're channel is one of my favorites!
This has happened a few times to me, watching 'What makes this song great" with various bands - I've thought at the start, "why choose this one? This group has way more famous/popular/interesting/complicated songs." Then I listen to Rick's breakdown and I realise there was so much more going on than ever knew. Often the more simple and natural it sounds, the more complex the arrangement. It just shows, sometimes you listen to something, without really LISTENING to it.
Love the Doors! Certainly a one in a million band. Quirky as hell and they own it! Hope you post these videos forever man. It's a great joy to watch you. Your passion clearly shows. One day I'd love to see you do Riders on the Storm and point out the whispered vocals layered over the singing, lol! I think it was the last thing Jim Morrison ever recorded. As far as metal music goes, Frayed Ends of Sanity!! It's riffs galore, and what Hetfield plays under the solo is absolutely fucking bonkers.
“Touch me” is not even on my top 10 list of favorite songs from the What Makes This Song Great series but this is my favorite of Rick’s videos. So fun.
One mad poet+One jazz drummer+one flamenco guitarist+one classical pianist=The greatest rock n' roll band ever.
When I think of LA rock bands the Beach Boys and the Doors are my first thought...
great? yes. the greatest? no.
Morrison’s pitch was beyond incredible.
Ah, but Manzarek was also into boogie and rag pie-anny, too.
@@jonasrmb01 Gotta be producing music for way more than 4-5 years to even enter that discussion....
Just love seeing how Rick's face lights up when he's excited about listening back to an isolated track.
He's really digging that orchestra. LOL
mutt3135
A man who loves his music and understands every nuance so love all his work.
Yeah, at around 9:05 , simple unadorned joy.
It's also his eyebrow keeps going up a little with this bemused wonderment as if he can't believe how weird this is a rock song but how great it is
Oh yes. I really love seeing him 'feel' the music. What a gift Rick's channel is to music lovers. Thank you RICK!!
Jim’s isolated vocals showcases his incredible voice.
Greatest rock singer and lyricist ever.
At 25, Jim Morrison looked and sang like a 40 year old. The Doors were the oddest band out of all their contemporaries for sure. They are one of the most unique bands ever.
Doug Ingles' vocal on "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" also sounds one or two decades older than his 23 years.
As for his compositional ideas, and his keyboard executions of some of those ideas, they're off the charts
When The debut album was released in Jan '67, Morrison was Hollywood's new sex symbol. Living in LA as I was, he was considered rock's new sex symbol, with the leather pants and flowing mane. He had classic actor looks..it was the substance abuse; the aalcohol and hard drugs that started an almost immediate downward spiral, not being able to handle the fame and adulation. As you probably know, he was one of the early members of The 27 Club.
Sure, he sounded kinda older than he was but he definitely didn't look like a 40 year old 😂
What I love the most about The Doors is that they had their own unique and original sound. They didn’t sound like anyone else and nobody sounded like them. That’s where their genius resides.
Not an easy band to get into. The majority hear Riders, or Hello, and think "Great song, must check these out." Alabama Song comes on and... wtf? Soft Parade... The End...
They out the door and down the road. 😂
Incredible. The Doors are so original...nobody sounds like them. Manzarek is unreal on keyboards..
They are all unreal = synergistic awesomeness!
Weird, I think this song sounds a LOT like Love
Amen. And nobody will ever sound like them. R.I.P Jim Morrison and Ray Manzarek
@@Mark-ix4zt Weird Al got him to play the keyboard on "Craigslist" before his death. There is or was a video on RUclips.
Manzarek's keyboard on "Riders on the Storm" was sublime. His keyboard note runs set the mood and perfectly replicated the sound of rain.
Jim's vocal track isolated here is one of the best things on the Internet!
You could train your vocals with it. :)
Beato and his channel is the primary reason i still have a smart phone lol i don't do much in the way of social media, but his channel has kept me sane at work for the last 2 years now
@Charles White yeah I think this guy is very well connected in the music industry. He gets sent a copy of the tracks . Quite amazing to get that access.
A recent interview with Densmore and Krieger mentioned that Morrison was a Frank Sinatra fan. It totally comes across in Touch Me.
Deep, raspy, soulful and sexy
The Soft Parade is an almost criminally underrated Doors album. These four guys together were absolutely brilliant and even after 40 years of listening to this group I am still finding gems in their arrangements...... and Rick still managed to show me even more than I had noticed before.... great break down.
my favorite album of theirs
In my opinion, The doors was the best band of the 60s..Crazy the amount of great material they put out in like 5-6 years.
The Doors were way ahead of their time. We still haven't caught up to that time.
And we never will.
Daniel Skorich took the words right outta my mind
What do you mean?
@@Sam-qc6sz I mean The Doors were so ahead of their time we haven't reached that point yet. They're more like a 2040 band than a 1968 band.
@@ldchappell1 I know I know, I meant to ask what makes them a band we haven't caught up to yet
What blows my mind is how a bunch of nineteen year olds recorded a debut with such maturity and understanding of the blues, it hasn't really been topped since 50 years ago!
By the time debut album was released, only Robbie was 19, if memory serves. Others were about 22-23, which is still pretty impressive, right?
@@dymmalowitz5465 Ray was 30 when this was released-nowhere near 19, lol.
theyre not talking about soft parade@@georgehartman3189
@@georgehartman3189 he's born in 1939 so late 20s to be more precise
jim had one of the best voices ever!. the doors were one of the best bands ever
His voice was also hot as fuck.
the Morrison baritone; The Manzarek wurlitzer; The Krieger bottleneck; The Densmore drums; The Doors. . .what a great incredibly underrated American band.
Ecstatic that you dissected a classic song by The Doors. There was no one like them; and no other band talented enough to replicate their work. This song has it all....the type of stuff that melts your face. As usual Rick, thank you for your analysis and sheer joy covering this song
I see Robby Kreiger at some of the charity golf events I cater out here in LA and it just shocks and blows my mind he is the guy who wrote this tune and Light My Fire. He just seems like some old dude that likes to golf. He is so ordinary and friendly.
I screamed when he said Vegas-y. Literally been thinking this my whole life. The lyrics are dramatic and everything instrumental is showy. Jimmy’s baritone just tickles me endlessly and puts it all over the top in the best way. It’s so hard not to smile while watching these
I love the doors i can tickle you too
@@kerimalpaltuncu97 creepy 🙁
@@kerimalpaltuncu97 gtfo
@@mr.perfect223i love the doors i can tickle you too
I could not agree more
Morrison was a HUGE fan of Sinatra, which may account for his performance in this tune.
They were baritones both of them, he loves Sinatra's voice and sensitivity
Jim Morrisons generation grew up listening to crooners , jazz blues CnW up to the mid 50s , when rock n roll turned up and created a new style into 60s for folk , pop , Motown ,soul , RnB n rock . Jim was not a musician or a pro trained singer , but a wordsmith and natural crooner , and it's clear with much of his singing style just 1 eg , Riders on the storm , imagine a Frank Sinatra or a Bing Crosby version , yeah that could be real scary , maybe not . The Doors music is unique and original and a hard act to follow , it was their time and place and they all delivered ....and without a bass player .
When Jim went to the studio for the very first time (to record the first album), he was happy because the microphone he sung in was the same model that Frank Sinatra used!
One the greatest “rock” bands ever. Almost everything they did was exceptional. Songs that you almost never hear like Hyacinth House and the Changeling are absolute gems.
I love the "L.A. Woman" album.
Such a pity that Morrison didn't live for them to ever perform it live with him.
@@Gunners_Mate_Guns The WASP is a badass song too.
@@TimSchmidt_art "I want to tell you about Texas radio and the big beat."
I agree.
The best.
@@Gunners_Mate_Guns They performed the songs from it before it was released.
“Touch Me” always sounded so cinematic to me, almost like it belonged in an animated fairytale movie from the 50’s
Listen to the musical box from genesis then
Has it been used in any movie? It would make a fantastic opening for the right movie.
I've only been following for a few months but I'm addicted to these "What Makes This Song Great" videos! Being severely deaf, I'm not able to discern a lot of what's going on in a song, so I appreciate these breakdowns and explanations. It's like I'm hearing my favorite music for the first time! And seriously, the enthusiasm Rick has during these videos reminds me of a kid at Christmas! LOL such a joy to watch!
I have never seen Rick so excited before. We need a, "What makes this Rick face so good" channel.
yeah ! his face at the string section at 9:04
Top Twenty Rick reactions
You should watch his "What makes this song great" on Boston's "More Than A Feeling". You will see similar reaction and glee when he breaks down the vocals.
John Densmore, one of the most underrated drummers (at least by the general populace) in Rock & Roll history!
So is Robbie Krieger
Speaking as a drummer, I approve this comment. John never gets his due, but I've always liked the violence and control of his drumming.
Jim gets all the attention, but Ray, Robby, and John were some of the greatest of all time at their respective instrument.
@@philmstud2k monster work from when the music over. that guitar solo is insane
Underrated the most rated word in youtube
Rick, you just blew my mind.
I’m 30, I’ve been listening to this song since I was a little kid, and I just NOW heard the “Stronger than dirt” at the very end.
I think I need to re-think my entire life.
Hell, I'm 63 and I'm in the same boat.
i feared he might not mention it
I'm 60 kid and life rethunk
If you're 30, and you've been listening to the Doors since you were a kid, I'd say your life is just fine young man.
I never knew what was said. Well then.
As a (somewhat) classically trained violist, I really enjoyed getting to hear the isolated string parts from this song for the first time. They're so beautiful! It really made me appreciate (even more than I already did!) the sheer artistry that went into this song and just about every Doors song. Thanks Rick! You're so correct about real orchestral instruments simply not being the same as recorded ones. String instruments are naturally very expressive and almost human-like (in tone and voicing) instruments that can simply convey every range of emotion that the player can, but you just can't get that from a computer, no matter how hard you try.
Check out that entire album ...the soft parade....
Give AI a chance --- in a couple of years you'll be able to hear the stray notes and bad intonation from a computer too.
@@SurferJoe46 You are being ironic, I hope?
I freaking love that you said "Frank Sinatra quality." I remember being a kid, hearing this song on the radio, and I was like "WTF? This sounds like my parents' music?" That is exactly what I thought. Silly me.
I've been listening to so much jazz, fusion, and prog recently I forgot how amazing The Doors are! Time to blow some dust off my old man's vinyl records and get groovin
Thanks Rick that was gr8.
check out that Doors doc on Netflix When You're Strange.. It's so cool.
The Doors, the greatest Rock band of all times! Period!
Time to blow some dust off my collection, and my copy of Soft Parade.
Fusion and Prog are my main port of call, good to look over the shoulder from time to time.
"Stronger than dirt"...never knew that is what they said at the end of the song. One of my favorite songs of all-time! Used to try and imitate Jim Morrison's voice in this song...just a classic all around!!
albert fisher, pretty sure that “stronger than dirt” had something to do with their first single being sold for a car commercial.
@@thenameless3271 I always thought as you do, but are we sure it was Morrison's voice? Now that I heard Rick isolate it, it kind of sounds like it was right out of the tv commercial, (which I'm old enough to remember) but maybe slowed down a tad. Didn't really sound like JM to me, and if you think about it, would have been a very Morrison-like thing to do lol.
Wow! I've heard that song literally hundreds (maybe thousands) of times since its release and never noticed the "stronger than dirt." Amazing!
The Grateful Dead had an instrumental on Blues For Allah called "Stronger Than Dirt Or Milkin' the Turkey" which quotes that lick. For what that's worth...
I always thought he said "stronger than death". I remember the Ajax commercials, and recognized the jingle, but figured there was no way would they sing that. I have to say, I'm a little disappointed . . . both for being wrong for 40 years, and because my way is cooler.
“This is really really strange”
Immediately wants to listen to People Are Strange
It's positively wacky. It just goes to show how crazy things were in the late 1960s.I always thought it was kind of goofy even back in the day.
Check out the cover of People Are Strange by Brave Combo
Jim Morrison's deep soulful gravely voice in this song... just perfect.
I'm reading John Desmore's book Riders on the Storm at the moment and I've been listening back to all their albums. I'd never really appreciated just how unique and creative they were. As always, I really enjoy your infectious enthusiasm for music Rick, you have on the best music channels on RUclips.
I am guilty of not appreciating the Doors adequately. Thanks, Rick. That was amazing.
They're probably the #1 band I would list on my "yeahhhh, but I just don't dig them all that much" list of rock greats. However, this video makes clear that they have a lot going on in their arrangement and I should probably give them more attention.
@@s1d299 Revelation time!..more going on than most bands - incredible detail - gotta listen intently to pick it all up...drum fills, guitar trills, organ extravaganza plus a voice like no other - totally uniquely creative band!
This is my favorite video of yours! Your excitement is absolutely contagious. I salute you!
It's the affect of realizing just what a magical and brilliant moment in time and space it was and how emotionally moving and soul stirring this performance was and is!!!!!!!!!!
Contagious? A VIRUS? On RUclips?
Haha, nice try
@@DavidJones-sy4mn We think alike👍
The Doors were completely underrated as a band in general. Dipped into many styles and genres and were great musicians
I think they get tons of recognition to be honest, and deservedly so.
I’m not sure how you can say they were under rated. They were huge in their time and I’m grateful that I got to see them perform even though it was a rather quiet concert (yes they had a few of those).
The were massively appreciated.
Probably one of the most original and important bands of all time. Jim was a troubled genius and RK is and underrated songwriter. The drums, vocals, Ray on keys nothing else sounds like The Doors and nothing else ever will, they are unequaled to this day.
What a song!!! Basically, the greatest thing is how they put jazz, flamengo, classical music and poetry altogether. That is what makes the Doors such an amazing band.
Just got ready to go to sleep..... Oh look Rick uploaded a new video ... Who needs sleep anyway!
Fantastic video Rick.
Right?
Robert Baker literally me
Me too! Going to be getting to bed a bit late, I guess. 😊
Exactly my experience too!
Oh, hey! Glad to know everybody knows about this channel
I've been listening to this song for 50 years and heard it hundreds of times, always liked it but never my favorite Doors song, and the Doors have been my favorite band for 50 years. I am a guitarist and read music, write music, etc. But I never noticed all of the things you pointed out in this song and how good it all came together, must have been a ton of work and talent combined. You did a very good job. BTW, I know virtually nothing of music therory, wish I did, and can't sight read. all self taught and am a complete hack on guitar, but I still appreciate things like this. thanks.
Robbie Krieger is underrated as a guitar player. Man had style. He needs to make more music
As a guitarist and a songwriter
Underrated on guitar and songwriter. First song he ever wrote was their biggest hit
Bobby K is one of THE most creative musician of that period and definitely in the top 10! He rocks
He wrote touch me too
This was never my favourite Doors song and would skip it, but after watching this I have a new appreciation for it. Thanks. 👍
@@RedroomStudios my favorite doors song.
what?
I was the same way until I got a Doors songbook and played through the sheet music for it. After I played through it I realized, this is a really good song!
That's awesome to get a fresh feel for an old tune . This was my favorite album and the lead song (tell all the people)is one of my all time picks and is responsible for making me a doors fan at 11 years old in 1989
Exactly how I felt before watching this video. I always rolled my eyes at the cheesy Vegas lounge act feel of it, and even thought the orchestration was the worst part because I only focused on the very simple trumpet line. Hearing the orchestration -- particularly the strings -- on their own is just jaw-dropping. I'm a convert.
Was never a Doors fan as I grew up in the 70's. Just never liked their "sound". Always sounded "so old" or "dated". But I can finally appreciate their music and Jim's voice could still melt the panties off of any woman. My God. What a freaking unbelievably unique voice. Just amazing.
Who else loves when Rick air drums?😀
He also plays a mean air keyboard. Rick is the best!
SubArcticWolf Tools & Outdoors Lol, it makes me very happy to know there are other music nerds out there doing the same silly air drumming/guitaring/keyboarding that I do when I’m digging a song. 😊
@@goldenageofdinosaurs7192 I thought everybody did that.
Maybe Rick should be careful about his air playing since someone might recognize it from one of their songs and sue him.
Nuttin better
I have heard this song a million times and NEVER heard "Stronger Than Dirt", THAT is why I love Rick Beato and "What Makes This Song Great?"! I wear my "Everything Music" shirt with PRIDE! Thank you Rick!
You too? I always heard "Stronger than Love," but was never too sure.
Thanks Rick!
Me too! I don’t know why I never noticed that all these years haha!
Almost sounds like this could be the first "sample." Maybe Morrison also did commercial voice over work? Great video!
What is even happening? There's no way that's been in there this entire time, and I've never heard it?!? For real?
@@kgipe You're probably used to hearing the single version. The "Stronger than dirt" isn't in that version.
Rick Beato is a national treasure.
yes he is! im glad to be probably his only woman subscriber. I love his show and his talent since i cant read or write music and i play be ear i can learn from watching Ricks videos
Good lord, so much to process in this song. Those horns! Drums that sound...LIKE DRUMS! Thank you, music gods.
I love the Doors. Jim Morrison’s voice is so raw and powerful and what an amazing band. I read years ago that their record company needed a main stream hit for FM radio play and they came up with this tune. Very well orchestrated and very different from most of their other performances.
It's funny that you compare Morrison to Sinatra in this. As a little kid, hearing The Doors, i always pictured the vocalist as being much older and more 1950s-esque than what he really was. Imagine my surprise, in my early teenage years, when i learned that "That dude sang that???"
It's sad to me, that Morrison was so lackadaisical with his talent. He could've been another Sinatra like force in music. He was already a force.
Too bad he died when he did. Maybe he would've realized it at some point.
Thanks for this vid! Ironically, my normally stoic (late) grandpa loved The Doors. So this made me think of him. Best vid!
Morrisons singing on Riders of the Storm always reminded me of Sinatra
On certain parts, when he let's it all out, there is a touch of Elvis too.
@@mumon1969 Totally.
@@mumon1969 Sinatra and Elvis we're his two favorites
Being so lackadaisical with his talent was what made him be a Morrison-like force in music.
The doors and Jim Morrison are are my favorite band and vocalist of all time
MY favorite band hands down!!! All the tracks, all the riffs the songs everything!!! RIP to Jim and Ray!!! Krieger has played some haunting-est riffs and Densmore is an underrated beats magician.
Ditto mate
Greatest band. They own a record I think. 6 studio albums in just 4 years. No other band could do this. And no one will ever do.
Truth.
Man this guy knows so much about music it just blows me away.
Rick! Reminds of when the teacher would break down Shakespeare plays. Before ... little understanding and appreciation and sensitivity; After, ... wow all that. Thank you Sensei.
I was in middle school when I first learned about The Doors. I had an amazing music appreciation teacher and she brought us really cool stuff to listen to - old piano blues players, bluegrass, folk, everything really. She was a bit of a hippie at heart I think and she loved The Doors and told us all about Jim Morrison and I remember it being a very pivotal moment for me in my own love of music.
It's awesome to see these kinds of videos Rick, thanks for making them! I also had no idea about the "stronger than dirt" thing at the end of the song. I love when people do weird things like that :-)
This music isn't really what I'm into, so my plan was to bail as soon as it got boring. Never happened, the entire video was cool as hell and everything I heard kicked ass. What a great song.
@@allrequiredfields it'd be fun to see him do an analysis on a recent hit 😂
That’s what I love about these videos. I always get an appreciation for the music even if I didn’t like it much to begin with. 👍🏼
I want to ask you why you are so musically sheltered, but I'm just happy you stayed. NEVER think, "I don't like that kind of music." Now, you know why. I encourage you to go back and listen to everything you have ever shunned in the past as well every now and then as you keep getting older and maturing musically. Give everything a try.
Morrison was a natural voice. no training just pure talent
Terrific analysis! This song is literally impossible to get tired of. The Doors were no boring 3-chord band, for sure. But I didn't realize how VERY many different chords made up "Touch Me" until this moment. Thanks.
Wow I never realized how beautiful and intricate the orchestration is on this song. I’ve long though it was a unique and distinctive song in the world of pop
I love his Sinatra esk vibe.
I don't think I've ever seen Rick as excited about a song as I have on this one.
"Wooo!" - RB, not once but twice during the sax solo. Priceless.
The Doors still grown on me honestly. Their music is incredible, Jim's voice is so incredible. The screams, the shouts, the soft singing. He had a broad range and was able to paint many pictures with his vocal chords. From the rawness in 'Wild Child' to ... well yes this one; 'Touch me' - or one of my favorites: People are strange.
This episode is "Stronger Than Dirt"! Rick and Tim Peirce always look like they're having such a good time when they are either listening to or making music. I love it. It makes my day!
I have a doors book, and their progressions hardly make sense to me, very counterintuitive. Very amazing.
I love how you show the isolated tracks. This is golden
Rick... I admit I love The Doors... but... this is some of your finest work! Thank you.
Thanks for this one! I love the modulations in this song. G Bm C E-flat, then B-flat, Dm, E-flat, G-flat -- the same sequence up a m3. Leading to the chorus in the key of D-flat, a tritone (i.e., as far away as you can get) from the original key of G. And then, BAM! back to that A minor vamp.
One of the things that makes the breakdown verse so distinctive is that the strings go from playing tutti to featuring just a small ensemble. It sounds like the highest violin part is doubled, but the cello, viola, and second violin are all solo instruments. So you get a string quartet sound vs. the orchestral sound heard on the rest of the song.
Thanks, too, for explaining "stronger than dirt" -- although unless you lived in the time, you can't really appreciate the nuance. I think this whole song is irony at its finest. The Doors were an outrageous, "anti-establishment" phenomenon. For them to sing and play in this almost big band style, and then to quote a laundry detergent ad was a great tongue-in-cheek statement. The fact that it is also a phenomenal piece of writing and performance gives it life beyond its original context.
Rick, once again you have breathed new life into an old classic.
I couldnt take my eyes off that nice concert stack behind Rick in the other room!
Seeing someone love and admire music so much is just wonderful
Many thumbs up for choosing this song. I've been a Doors fan since I first heard Backdoor Man when it came out. I still have all the original issue lp's on vinyl and Soft Parade remains my favorite. The Doors were, and still are like nothing else in rock music... but especially in 1967 (recorded in 66). Thanks for highlighting John Densmore. I have to admit I never appreciated him when I was a teen because I associated a drummer's talent with the size of their kit (a la Keith Moon & nowadays Neal Pert) and Densmore's setup looked almost toy-like to me. Now I know that he is a FREAKIN' GENIUS. He was unlike any other when he played jazz, latin, and rock rhythms in songs you would never expect they would work. Yet I couldn't imagine those songs being as great without him. I'm a guitar player and I don't profess any knowledge of how a great drummer's mind works, but I know what sounds good to me. I would be interested to here what you drummers out there think. Great song, great band, great production👍
as a drummer and massive Doors fan i can say that Densmore is super super tasty! he was a fan of the Jazz greats (as many 60s drummers were), so it really shows in this song and other swing/r&b or jazzy Doors tracks.
"Who sings like that" pretty much sums up about him. He's the one and only indeed.
3:23 - "Who sings like that?" besides Jim Morrison, only Tom Jones comes to mind (like you say, Vegas-y)
I'm glad you mentioned Tom Jones. My wife is quite perceptive, musically, but knows little of classic rock. I'm a huge The Doors fan. One afernoon, on car ride, Touch Me came on the radio. Of course she knows who Jim Morrison is, but when I asker her if she knew who was singing said song, she guessed TOM JONES. I instantly understood her guess.
Van Morrison
You need to listen to The Divine Comedy then ..... literally a JM clone, and just as excellent
Remember listening to this song on 93 KHJ-AM when I was in Jr. High during Christmas vacation in '68. Song went to #1 in L.A. right after New Years. The whole Soft Parade Album is great.
Didn't come out to 1969. You may be off by a year.
Touch Me was released first as a single in December 1968 with Wild Child on the B-side. Morrison's vocals were 'live' on the Smothers Brothers show while The Doors mimed to a pre-recorded track, which also first aired in Dec. 68. The Soft Parade album was released in 1969.
Love The Doors. I love it when I ask people if they've heard of The Doors, and they go, "I'm not sure.....what style do they play?"
And, I go...."...erm.........."
The Doors were THE first 'Genre Spanners'! Amazing, an often misunderstood songwriters!
Great video. More The Doors please!
I'm a huge fan of The Doors and really enjoyed watching you go into detail about this genius and unique piece of music :)
I feel like this is one of their least weird songs, but still a great one, and a great analysis. I definitely have an all new appreciation for the arrangements on this one. The strings in particular. Hard to hear all that nice movement in the cellos with the whole band in there, but isolated, the whole string part is beautiful.
Give Jim Morrison his due for his vocal prowess.
@Mark Godfrey "There's a killer on the road,
His brain is squirming like a toad."
Great voice one of the best ever
This was the first rock band I listened to (when I was a teenager in the 90's) and still one of my favourites. This song is amazingly mind-blowing!!! The Doors!!!
In my humble or exalted opinion, this is by far and beyond, the most far and beyond channel on RUclips. If you love music this is IT. . . Rick, you take great music and expand it, give it so many more dimensions. . . Muchas gracias amigo. . .
The Soft Parade only grown on me recently, I never used to listen to it much apart from Touch Me, Wishful Sinful and Wild Child. I now love the album and that it's very different to their other albums, Shaman Blues is brilliant as well as the bonkers title track The Soft Parade. "YOU CANNOT PETITION THE LORD WITH PRAYER!" The Doors still sound fresh and unlike any other rock band to this day.
Always will
Amazing musical composition. And there is also 'The Crystal Ship' as well.
I could not possibly overstate how important this band was to me .
I love this song it reminds me of living close to my mom's side of the family while my father served in Vietnam.
The videos of the Doors are a cool addition.
Brian O'Banion crazy to think his father was part of the Gulf of Tonging incident that was partially responsible for the escalation into the Vietnam war. Just learned that. Seemed Jim was a drastic juxtaposition to his father.
Interesting I need to check that out
You look so happy while listening to it! Great episode, thank you Rick, made me smile
That was awesome to listen to this breakdown of this song. Just amazing. And you are SOOOOOOO right when you stated "no one, no 25 year old could get away with this". Jim's voice is so unique. Just amazing.
3:10 I never thought of it as being weird. It's just Jim being untouchable and totally unique.
I've recently gotten back into the Doors after, like, 30 years. I've been listening to interviews with the guys in the band from all over the past 50 years. Great stuff.
I watch Rick Beato because he's STRONGER THAN DIRT!
Thanks Rick. Love, love love the Doors. I call it "demented carnival" music. JM had genius. Great analysis of the work.
Demented carnival is a good description. Think of Moon of Alabama.....Texas Radio, Moonlight Drive. A little creepy, but carnivals are.
I was stoked watching this. My second favorite song from the Doors right behind Light my Fire. Sinatra couldn't have done a better job on this song than Jim. It's too bad that Jim couldn't stick around longer to make some more great music with one of my favorite bands. Thanks Rick!
The Doors feel like the romantics of rock and roll
So much emotional edge in all their music. Each instrument and each vocal has something moving to say.
One of my first albums i had was The Doors 13 and Touch Me just mesmerized me, i am into mainly ELO, but when you played the string part from the breakdown of Touch Me tears flowed from my eyes, weird. Splashes as big as dimes. Rick, you know music, cheers to ya.
I was dubious about watching this, as its not exactly my favourite song by The Doors.
But daaaaammn, that's probably gonna change now.
Thank you.
Rick air drumming is pure zen!
I'm so glad I came across this. I was rockin out to those isolated tracks too! The orchestral line alone. Woah! I grew up listening to the doors and Jim has always been one of those guys that if I had been around, his picture would would have been hanging up on my bedroom wall.
The Doors are the perfect example of what makes a classic band/singer/author/book/artist. Since man has made art the greats have always seperated themselves from the rest. Chopin, Mozart, Led Zeppelin, Beatles/Hemingway- I think you get my point
More doors, Rick, please! I’d love to see a breakdown of the roadhouse blues. Must be the coolest tune ever
I know this song for about 30 years - never noticed the "stronger than dirt!" That had me spilling my coffee!
I'm so glad you chose the Doors for this episode. At first, I was surprised by your choice of song, but I totally get it now. I am no musician, just a lover of music. Thank you for giving me an entirely different appreciation of loads of songs. You're channel is one of my favorites!
This has happened a few times to me, watching 'What makes this song great" with various bands - I've thought at the start, "why choose this one? This group has way more famous/popular/interesting/complicated songs." Then I listen to Rick's breakdown and I realise there was so much more going on than ever knew. Often the more simple and natural it sounds, the more complex the arrangement. It just shows, sometimes you listen to something, without really LISTENING to it.
Love the Doors! Certainly a one in a million band. Quirky as hell and they own it! Hope you post these videos forever man. It's a great joy to watch you. Your passion clearly shows.
One day I'd love to see you do Riders on the Storm and point out the whispered vocals layered over the singing, lol! I think it was the last thing Jim Morrison ever recorded.
As far as metal music goes, Frayed Ends of Sanity!! It's riffs galore, and what Hetfield plays under the solo is absolutely fucking bonkers.
Enis Vatansever Wasn’t it LA women the last thing he recorded before going to France?
@@Dude0000 -No, according to Ray Manzarek himself, it was “Riders”.
“Touch me” is not even on my top 10 list of favorite songs from the What Makes This Song Great series but this is my favorite of Rick’s videos. So fun.
My all-time favorite song. Thank you for an amazing breakdown and analysis Rick!!! You are the best !!!!